Walking-aid for a splinted human leg dressed in plaster of paris



Sept. 11, 1956 E. RUBIN 2,762,357

WALKING-AID FOR A SPLINTED HUMAN LEG masses IN PLASTER OF PARIS Filed July 10, 1953 United States Patent WALKING-AID FOR A SPLINTED HUMAN LEG DRESSED IN PLASTER OF PARIS Eduard Rubin, Thun, Switzerland Application July 10, 1953, Serial No. 367,272

6 Claims. (Cl. 128-83.5)

My present invention relates to improvements in walking-aids for a human leg in splints and in a plaster-of- Paris dressing, and is characterized by a supporting structure provided with means for detachably fixing it to the plaster-of-Paris dressing underneath the foot sole, whereby the lower side of the supporting structure is curved outwardly in the walking-direction in order to make a rolling-ofi of the walking foot possible.

Two forms of my invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a side view of the walking aid secured to the walking stirrup or truss of a human leg in :a plaster-of- Paris dressing, in the first form,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the walking-aid shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 depicts a side view of the second form, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the latter.

The walking-aid of Figs. 1 and 2 designated generally by 1, may be made of metal, for example aluminium, and comprises as essential part a strap 2, the middle portion of which forms the lower side of the walking-aid and the two horizontal ends of Which facing each other form the upper side of the walking-aid. The lower side of the strap 2, which is provided with a replaceable coating 3, is curved outwardly in the Walking-direction in order to make the rolling-01f of the walking foot possible. To increase the stability of the strap 2, two pairs of stiffening ribs 4- and 5 are provided. The ends of the strap 2 are connected with each other by means of a supporting plate 6 to which is secured a cradle 7, such plate and cradle together forming a truss for a walking-stirrup 8 of a splinted human leg 9 in a plaster-of-Paris dressing. The plate 6 is secured to the ends of strap 2 by means of two screws 10 and 11. Said upper portion has two slots 12 and 13 to receive the screws 10, 11 so as to make the truss 6, 7 adjustable relatively to the aid 1. A fastening lace or band 14 may be passed through slots provided in the ribs 5, and a further fastening band 15 is disposed further in front of aid 1.

Application and use of this walking-aid structure is very simple. The truss 6, 7 is secured to the strap 2 so that the center of gravity of the patient is situated :above the lowermost point 16 in order to ensure a painless devolution of the foot on walking. Furthermore, care has to be taken to ensure that the patients leg does not bear on the walking-aid 1, rather the entire weight of the patient shall be transferred through stirrup 8. The walking-aid 1 then is attached to the patients leg 9 by means of the bands 14- and 15.

In the second form of invention, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the walking-aid which is designated generally by 21, also may be made of metal such as aluminum, and comprises a convex underside 22 having a replaceable coating 23. Two pairs of stifiening ribs 24 and 25 serve to increase the stability of aid 21. The top opening of the latter is covered by a supporting plate 26 to which is attached a cradle 27. Plate 26 and cradle 27 together form a truss for the walking-stirrup -8 of the patients ice walking-aid 21 by means of twoscrews 30 and 31. Said upper portion has two slots 32 and 33 for the screws 30 and 31 so as to make the truss adjustable in its longitudinal direction relatively to the aid 21. The truss itself is provided with a curved slot 34 so as to be pivotable on screw 31. Each short-side wall of cradle 27 is provided with a vertical slot 35 in which is engaged a screw 36 having a wing nut 37. Rubber pads 38 are disposed in the cradle 27. The second form of walking-aid is used as follows. The truss is secured to the upper portion of the aid so that the center of gravity of the patient is situated above the lowermost point 16 in order to ensure a painless devolution on walking. Here also the foot must not bear on the walking-aid, but rather the entire weight of the patient is transferred through the truss.

For such latter purpose, a plurality of rubber pads 38 are inserted in the cradle 27 so that the foot is correctly positioned.

Two holes are bored through the stirrup 8 (suitably before applying the plaster-of-Paris dressing) to permit to pass the screw 36 therethrough and to fix the same by means of nut 37.

While I have shown and described different embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a walking-aid device for attachment to the sole portion of a plastic cast on a persons leg, frame structure having a convex bottom surface and fiat top surface portions defining a gap between them, truss structure, said truss structure including means for receiving the walking stirrup incorporated in said cast, and adjustable means connecting said truss structure with said top surface portions in bridging relation to said gap, said convex surface extending in the direction of the bottom of a persons foot when said device is connected with said stirrup.

2. A walking-aid device as claimed in claim 1, said truss structure having a recess cradle portion for receiving the lower end of said walking stirrup.

3. A walking-aid device as claimed in claim 1, said truss structure having a recess cradle with side walls having vertical slots, and stirrup attachment means adjustably engageable in said slots.

4. A walking-aid device as claimed in claim 1, said adjustable means including means permitting adjustment of said truss structure in the direction of the bottom of a persons foot.

5. A walking-aid device as claimed in claim 1, said adjustable means comprising a pivot pin :and a combination arcuate slot and adjustment screw, said pivot pin pivoting one end of said truss structure to one of the said top portions of said frame structure to permit swinging movement of said truss structure about a vertical axis with said adjustment screw loosened with respect to said arcuate slot.

6. In a walking-aid device for attachment to the sole portion of a plastic cast on a persons leg, frame structure having a bottom convex surface and a flat top surface, said top surface having an elongated slot and a pivot opening spaced from said slot, said frame structure being adapted for attachment to said cast with said convex and top surfaces extending in the direction of the bottom of the persons foot, truss structure including a recess cradle having vertically adjustable stirrup securing means, said stirrup projecting from said cast and being insertable in said cradle, a pivot screw securing said truss structure to said frame structure for swinging movement with respect to said pivot opening, said truss structure having an arcu- 3 4 ate slot, and adjustment means engaged in said elongated OTHER REFERENCES and arcuate slots to permit said swinging movement and catalog of the Zimmcr Mfg Co Warsaw, Ind, dated also longitudinal adjustment of said truss structure to 1 1947 page 115 (Copy i i i i 55 take place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,934,346 Fisher Nov. 7, 1933 2,206,234 Murray July 2, 1940 10 

